Musings on a Small Life

Skippy, the handsome store cat at Global Pet Foods. I hadn't been in the store in several years, as I shop elsewhere. Skippy knows he's handsome! Just don't touch his belly, as my coworker found out. (She had offered me a ride home yesterday because she had to stop for something and the store is in my area anyway.) His name made me think of that old song, "Skip to my Lou my darlin."  :-) As for other cats, here's the very friendly one who often comes to the bus stop in the mornings, meowing his greeting and looking for cuddles. I worry for him, but he seems pretty street savvy. He's obviously well fed, definitely someone's cat.   I love his white tail tip.  :-) That's it. It's only Tuesday. I thought it was Wednesday until just a moment ago. Bummer. At least it's payday! Peace (and purrs from the boys). Snapped yesterday evening.     Comments are off, since I was going to this as a "wordless" (i.e....

I had taken a half-day vacation yesterday to do a few errands, so I was able to free up some time today to take my camera down to one of the waterfront parks. (Those few extra hours off work make a huge difference!) Turns out "it's a nice day for a white wedding." There were white chairs set up and a few people sitting down, but not too much activity at that point. If it hadn't been so hot, I could have hung around up on the hill and waited for the bride and groom to show up.  :-)           Sometimes you get a little unexpected bonus when you download your pics. I was so focused on the mom duck and her babies that I completely missed the snake on the rock in the foreground, until I started to edit the snapshots.                   It was (is) stinkin' hot! After our delayed and very cold "spring," we're suddenly sweltering in the heat and humidity. There wasn't much o...

I just saw this on FB a short time ago, so likely most of you already will have seen it too. I'm sorely tempted to print it out and put it on the outside of my office cubicle. Heh heh. The caption is perfect for the cat's expression! As for other words on this Wednesday: I was walking in this morning, coffee in hand, trying to give myself the usual pep talk: i.e. "it’s better to work hard than to look hard for work," I’m grateful for everything I have, etc. And I started to ask myself which I wanted more: to be paid and have a pension/benefits or _______ [be unemployed], except what popped into my head, unbidden, was “. . . or be happy.” Oy. I know work and happiness aren’t mutually exclusive, it was just a slip of my unconscious mind or of my heart or whatever. What a way to start the morning! I will take this to heart today, and on any other day where work is a slog: May you all be having a slog-free day.  :-) Peace. And purrs from the ...

How come the work weeks can drag but weekends, and holidays, pass so quickly? That's rhetorical.  :-) All has been quiet here, woohoo! I've been noisier than the new neighbours, with the vacuuming, etc. The weather has been lovely, quite summer-like at last. I haven't done a lot: the usual weekend chores, picked up the new bathroom vanity doors from Home Depot (I unpacked them, that's as far as I've gotten), had a good ramble through the cemetery yesterday, and painted some trim today -- including the patio door trim, only 2.5 years after the new door was installed. Better late than never, right? The boys are okay at the moment, though unfortunately Nicki had another coughing attack from vigorous purring, just a few minutes after his Sunday morning Flovent. Brief, probably because it was just after the inhaler. Six and a half days this time. Well, one day a time, right? Since there's nothing earth-shattering, I'll keep it short and sweet and...

Most of you know from FB that I had actual human contact with one of the new neighbours yesterday after work. When I had let the boys out into the back space, I saw two women, one middle-aged and one older, out on their deck. I went about my business inside, but noticed both Nicki and Derry sitting on the step, staring their way. Then I saw (and faintly heard) Nicki start talking to or at them (or at least in their direction). Trust Nicki to point out that there were new people next door and to make his presence known.  :-) Anyway, I went to the patio door, saw that the middle-aged woman was looking over, so stepped outside and said hi, that it was just me and the two cats in the house and that I hoped the boys wouldn't be a disturbance. I added that Nicki was the talker and that both of them would run through the house sometimes and that they (the new neighbours) would hear them. She replied no, no disturbance, that she has two cats of her own, both indoor. (I had asked i...

Peace .

I've still not seen the new neighbour--though I do think now it's only one person, a male, at least at the moment. Maybe a relationship/martial break-up? I haven't yet heard voices, though I've heard footfalls and the occasional banging (one big thud on the other side of the wall from my dining table scared the beejeepers out of me yesterday evening). So the mystery continues! As for other things: Nicki had another coughing attack from purring, Sunday evening. Fourteen days this time. (April 20, May 1, May 15.) I'm playing this one by ear. If it's only every couple of weeks I'll let things be and continue on as we have been, but if it continues past the latter part of June or becomes more frequent, I'll see about temporarily (?) adding in a bronchodilator. I did get a call from Home Depot (Toronto number) on Sunday, letting me know my bathroom vanity doors are at the local store ready for pick up. I'll get them this weekend. I on...